An RWJF Collection

Blood Sugar Levels Don't Change, but Spirits Certainly Rise

From 1999 to 2003, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio studied the effect of treatment for depression on health and functioning in older adults with depression and diabetes.

Five to 10 percent of adults aged 60 or older have major depression and nearly one in five has diabetes, according to many studies. People with diabetes are twice as likely as others to have major depression, which is associated with poor glycemic (blood sugar) control and can lead to additional serious health problems, according to researchers.

Key Findings

Researchers found that treatment for depression lessened the severity of patients' depression and improved their overall functioning but had no impact on control of blood sugar levels.